MUMBAI — In a match that will be remembered as one of the greatest “near-misses” in Associate cricket history, Nepal came within a single boundary of pulling off a monumental upset against England at the 2026 T20 World Cup. Though England narrowly escaped with a 4-run victory, the night belonged to the “Rhinos,” who outplayed the giants for vast stretches of the game under the lights of the Wankhede Stadium.
The Fightback: Nepal Stuns England’s Stars
After England opted to bat, Nepal’s bowlers showed zero signs of intimidation. Sher Malla produced a dream World Cup debut, dismissing Phil Salt with his very first ball. Nandan Yadav and Sandeep Lamichhane followed up with clinical spells, removing Jos Buttler and Tom Banton to leave the world champions reeling at 57/3. While half-centuries from Harry Brook (53) and Jacob Bethell (55) eventually pushed England to 184/7, Nepal’s disciplined fielding and tactical bowling kept the game within reach.
The Chase: A Nation’s Dream
Chasing 185, Nepal launched a fearless counter-attack. Kushal Bhurtel set the tone with a quickfire 29, but it was the magnificent 82-run partnership between captain Rohit Paudel (39) and the legendary Dipendra Singh Airee (44) that truly silenced the England supporters. Airee, who became the first Nepalese player to cross 2,000 T20I runs during this knock, took down world-class spinner Adil Rashid with surgical precision.
The Grand Finale
The drama reached a fever pitch in the final three overs. With 46 runs needed, Lokesh Bam played a heroic, unbeaten cameo of 39* from just 20 balls. Bam smashed Jofra Archer for two towering sixes and punished Luke Wood for consecutive boundaries, bringing the equation down to just 10 runs off the final over.
Tasked with defending the target, Sam Curran used all his experience to bowl a series of pin-point yorkers. Despite Bam’s best efforts, Nepal finished on 180/6—falling agonizingly short by just 4 runs.
A Moral Victory
Though the points table will show a win for England, the post-match atmosphere in Mumbai felt like a victory for Nepal. Outnumbering England fans in the stands, the Nepalese supporters gave their team a standing ovation. Even England skipper Harry Brook admitted his side “survived a major scare,” praising Nepal for an “outstanding” performance that proved they belong on the world’s biggest stage.